Today’s rally of the opposition forces gathered from 3 to 4 thousands of participants instead of anticipated 40 thousands at the central square of Bishkek. The speculations about this gathering have been stirring public for more than a week though the rumors predicting civic clashes turned out to be just fancied.

Protesters formed groups in different parts of the town and than started moving towards the city center. As the crowds was infiltrating city streets Bishkek inhabitants would first wait for the crowds to pass by and than would briefly comment the action in a rather unflattering manner .

At around 11 a.m. at the central square opposition leaders including Almazek Atambaev, Kabay Karabekov, Dooronbek Sadirbaev, Kubatbek Baybolov and others were giving speeches with passion but with hardly any new slogans being heard. Though the protesters themselves have expressed several new interesting ideas. Slogans read “Bakiev – stop serving your pocket” as well as “Down with MAXIMimization of the country” (implying the activities of the son of the president of Kyrgyzstan Maxim Bakiev).

Those who arranged this rally were also accusing government of the corruption and nepotism. Some of the opposition leaders though went further in their accusations suggesting that the president and his allies keep fostering nationalism at the expense of multi national population of the country. As Almazbek Atambaev (who gave up his ministerial position in April) emphasized the idea of translating all official and business documentation into Kyrgyz starting January 2007 is not only unrealistic and populist but is aimed at depriving all representatives of other nationalities who doesn’t speak Kyrgyz but consider the country their motherland. He pointed out that this can indeed split the country and hamper political and economic stability. Deputy Dooronbek Sadirbaev touched upon the same issue, stating that tribalization of the national discourse promoted by the power holders serves nothing but general instability and further deprivation of the country. “We shouldn’t think of ourselves as of southerners or northerners,”-stated Sadirbaev,-“as this can indeed cause lots of troubles. We should think of ourselves as of compatriots living in Kyrgyzstan and willing to do our best to preserve its peace as well as national diversity”.

After several hours of the stand off on the square that by some opposition leaders was referred to as Kyrgyz “Maydan” protesters once again voiced their ultimatum to the president Kurmanbek Bakiev. The document consisted of 10 steps that president, in opposition’s opinion, needs to take in order to retain his status and , as a matter of fact, his position as well. The ultimatum includes a variety of demands on reforming the Constitution and the Tax Code, on guaranteeing the freedom of speech to the independent media outlets and reforming the State Television Corporation. In short, all measures are complex and time consuming. But the opposition proved itself to be really impatient. The tandem of Bakiev and Kulov are given three month to make all these dreams come true. Otherwise the rally that is to take place in September, according to opposition activists, will feature one main slogan: “Down with the tandem”.